Not Awkward Anymore
by Hallzie
Summary: After that first kiss neither Clark nore Oliver knows how to behave. After two days something unexpected happens that bring them together again. Slash and suff, men doing stuff with each-other, true love, awesome pairing, don't like don't read ;


**AN: **Seems like I can do nothing but drama and sadness at the moment. Pffft. Sorry for making up such a lame start. I promise that the next story will be more… jolly. Kinda a sequel to A Cliché Way, but can be read as its own story as well. Enjoy ^-^

**Not awkward anymore**

Two days had passed since the day in the barn. He had been brave enough to call Clark once. The conversation had been very shallow, and they had even talked about the weather at one point. It wasn't his proudest moment in his life. Oliver had always considered himself to be a very social person. He also considered himself to be quite good with… situations like this.

Now he didn't know how to act, or what to say, and it was scaring him half to death.

Clark was the best thing to ever happen to him. But he was also more than that. He honestly didn't care about himself much; all he wished for was Clark to be happy. And if there was something he was sure of it was that the younger man could be quite awkward in situations like this. He had been with Lana, his High School sweetheart for so long. Even though thinking about it made Oliver jealous beyond belief he forced himself to remember that.

If he lost Clark because he rushed things he would never be able to forgive himself. Just because he already could see a future with the younger man, just because he ten years from now imagined his name to be Kent-Queen (or even just Kent, it was such a nice name) it didn't meant Clark felt the same way. Maybe this was just a crush, maybe he didn't even want to see Oliver again?

Lost in thought he didn't even notice that someone had entered the apartment. It wasn't until he leaned back in the couch and turned his head a little to the left that he noticed the brunette.

"Clark?" He had to ask. Scenes like these had happened way too often, just to turn out to be his imagination.

The younger man didn't say a thing, he just stared at Oliver. His green eyes sparkled, being aflame with emotion. The more Oliver observed him he noticed that Clark was far from okay. The younger man held his fists clenched, and he was biting his lower lip hard.

Oliver instantly got to his feet and started walking towards him. He stopped a few feet away from the brunette, once again making sure not to move too fast or making him awkward. "Clark, what's the matter? I was…"

The second he began talking Clark's eyes filled with tears, and the next moment the younger man had covered his face with his hands. As if he was too ashamed to show that he was crying.

Oliver couldn't stop himself. He took the last steps needed and wrapped his arms around the brunette. "Jesus, Clark…" he didn't know what to say, and he didn't know what was wrong. All he knew was that if he could do anything to stop those tears from falling, he would.

He started guiding the younger man towards the couch, while making sure not to let go. He never wanted to let go again; never wanted to see Clark this miserable again.

Once by the couch he helped Clark to sit down. He then sat down next to him, reaching out once again and held him close. The brunette let his head rest against his shoulder, and the scent that was Clark and nothing but Clark instantly surrounded him. For a second he lost focus, forgot what was going on.

A quiet sob brought him back to reality.

"What's wrong?" He didn't know what else to say. After all he had no idea why the other man was crying like this. He would've preferred just to make the pain go away, but to Oliver's great disappointment he hadn't been born with any kind of superpowers with that ability.

Clark continued sobbing for a while, and then he leaned in even more against Oliver. As if the older man's body heat somewhat gave him comfort. "I'm… it's mom." He didn't say anything more; just the words brought more tears to him.

Now he knew, and he still didn't know what to say. He just wanted to hold Clark forever. Hold him so tight that the rest of the world would disappear and leave them alone. No more pain and no more sorrow.

"She just… I don't know. We were having dinner, the next second she was lying there. Her heartbeats sounded off, I didn't know what to do." Suddenly the words just seemed to come like an endless flood from the younger man. "I brought her to the hospital; they said everything would be fine. But they're keeping her this night, just in case. I couldn't save dad, he even died because of _me_. And I can't save her either, Oliver. None of the people I care about, they're always the ones I can't save."

"Clark, I'm so sorry." He had been without parents for so long. Before hearing someone talking this sincerely about family members would probably have sparked jealousy in him. But this was Clark. "First thing tomorrow, I'll take you there. We'll go together."

"No!" the farm boy was at once on his feet, looking down at him in horror. "Don't you see? _Everyone_ I love and care about. They're _always_ the ones I can't protect. They're _always_ the ones getting hurt because of me. Oliver… I can't let you close to me. You'd get hurt too."

Oliver stared at him, and then he gestured to the place next to him. "Sit down again", he said. His voice was soft, but he was far from calm right now. When he saw the brunette hesitate he sighed and repeated the gesture. "Clark, please?" He had never been much for begging, but obviously Clark could make him do all kind of crazy things. The younger man hesitated for a moment longer, and then he finally sat down beside him again. This time he didn't snuggle up to him, or even hugged him. He just sat there, eyeing the older man with his clear, green eyes.

"Clark, listen to me", Oliver was unsure how to say it without sounding rude. The moment he started talking he didn't care though. The words just kept coming, an endless stream. He couldn't lose what he'd just found. "Your mom being ill is not your fault. What you're feeling is just one of the real downsides of being human. In the end everyone will die, but until that day we should be happy. If the doctors say it's nothing serious we'll have to believe them. And your mom is a fighter. Whatever this is, she'll fight back, and she'll win."

Clark stared at him, as if he wasn't sure how to respond. "But…"

"No buts, Clark. You're a part of my life now. We're in this together. If you think that I'll just let you go you're mistaken." He was getting carried away, and he was more than aware of that he'd already lost his struggle to stay polite and calm. But damn it. The farm boy was hopeless. He always had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Not only that, but he also seemed to blame himself for every single bad thing happening in said world too.

He paused for a second, watching Clark's expressions closely. When the brunette didn't give much of a response to his words he smiled and moved a little closer.

"Clark..." he hesitated. Was suddenly scared it was too soon to say it. But then... screw it. "Clark, I love you. And I'm not going anywhere, not even if you ask me to." He could see a slight twitch in the corner of Clark's mouth, as if he was on the edge of smiling. The brunette's eyes were still sparkling, but not only with tears anymore. There was something else there too.

This was all Oliver needed, a small sign that it wasn't as serious anymore. "I'm planning to be a pain in your ass for a long time, Boy Scout; get used to it." He reached over and ruffled Clark's hair and the younger man laughed slightly. "No pun intended," Oliver added with a smirk, and watched happily as Clark's expression changed from amused, to shocked, to embarrassed. The younger man was silent, looking as if he was trying to make his current blush go away by sheer concentration. He then looked at the blonde with a more serious expression again.

"Oliver, I love you too." He said it bluntly, but the emotion behind the words was obvious.

It had only been two days since that day in the barn, but to them it felt like several weeks by now. Since that moment changed everything. Since that first kiss. "We're sitting awfully close, you know?" Clark then remarked, with a playful smile on his lips now.

"Are we? I hadn't noticed." Oliver answered, acting unaffected by the situation.

"That is quite surprising, Mr Queen, since you're the one moving in closer." Clark stuck out his tongue this time even, which surprised even Oliver. Not that he and Clark had been the kind of friends that Clark and Chloe were before or anything... but he'd never seen Clark do such a childish thing, and he seriously doubted it was something Clark would do in front of anyone else. This fact he was happy about. Clark looked ridiculously adorable when doing it, so adorable that Oliver never, ever would want to share this part of him with anyone else.

"Oh, you are trying to tempt me..." Oliver murmured, and then reached out. As his fingertips brushed against Clark's cheek he felt a shiver of delight run through his body. For a moment he zoned out. All he could think about was how lucky he was to have Clark like this. That out of all people Clark could fall for, out of all the people the farm boy could allow to touch him like this... he choose him. A guy. Oliver.

Snapping out of his thoughts he realized that he'd been stroking the younger man's cheek with his hand absentmindedly. Clark was sitting completely still in front of him, his face only inches away from the blonde's. He was leaning in to the touch, while he kept his gaze focused on the older man's face. The next second Oliver pulled him closer, he needed him. As their lips touched he held the younger man as close as possible, holding on to his t-shirt.

As a playboy he'd always wanted more. Kissing was that crappy thing you would have to put up with to get to the good stuff. Now all he could ask for was this. A lifetime of just kissing Clark would be more than enough to keep him in complete bliss for the rest of his life.

They only parted when the need for air became too great. Still holding on to the brunette tight Oliver let his head rest on his shoulder. "Hey", he whispered. "Don't worry about your mom, okay? I'm here for you, and I'll go with you tomorrow. She'll be fine, I promise."

The younger man was still in his arms, and the relaxed a little in to his lover's embrace. "How can you promise that Ollie? No one can promise that."

"I can", Oliver said, pulling away a little to be able to meet the gaze of those sparkling, green eyes. "Because I know that she'll be alright. And if she needs any kind of medical assistance in the future I'll make sure she gets the best treatment available on this planet."

Suddenly he realized something, which made him hesitate. "Clark, she doesn't know, does she?"

"Know what?" The brunette looked completely dumbfounded at the question.

"Know! About us, I mean. If I go with you there she'll probably think it's... odd. I'm sorry, I didn't think about that. But I can at least give you a ride there, if you want to." Once again the brunette blushed at his words, and surprised Oliver tried to figure out what he could've said this time.

"Actually", Clark started, and then he looked around as if he was expecting someone spying on them. "Actually I already told her. Later the very same night, after the kiss. I just... it felt so right, you know? I knew that I wanted to see you again, and well, I figured that I should tell her."

Oliver had never been much for blushing, but he felt that he was close to doing so now. Damn it, this farm boy took him to places he'd never been before. "You're the sweetest guy I've ever met."

He leaned over once more, placing a light kiss on the brunette's lips. "How about this… I take you out for lunch, and then we'll go visiting your mom together? Does that sound okay to you?"

Clark's answer was quicker than he expected. "It sounds wonderful".

Honestly, if the boy scout kept up being this adorable he might just have to eat him. But except for being distracted by thought of cannibalism Oliver couldn't do anything but celebrate what had happened this day. It suddenly felt natural to be near Clark, to hold him close… to love him. There was nothing weird. Just love.

**/AN: **Not sure I entirely like how this one turned out. Still, it was kinda fun to write. Hope you don't think it's too terrible ^-^


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